Experience the magic of Christmas with the Sleigh Bell Special at the Doon Valley Railway, a hidden gem in the heart of Ayrshire.

🚂 Event Highlights

• A Magical Journey: Step aboard a vintage heritage train for a festive trip through the scenic Doon Valley.
• Meet Santa: Keep your eyes on the roof—the sound of sleigh bells signals Santa’s arrival before he joins you onboard to personally greet every child.
• Personalised Gifts: Every child (up to age 15) receives a specially selected gift from Santa himself.
• Mrs. Claus’ Kitchen: After your ride, visit the festive Signal Box Café for seasonal refreshments and a warm welcome.

The Sleigh Bell Specials run on select dates in late November and December 2026:

• Dates: November 28th & 29th; December 5th, 6th, 12th, 13th, 19th and 20th.
• Departure Times: 10:15 am, 11:15 am, 12:45 pm, 1:45 pm, and 2:45 pm.

Please arrive at the car park 10 minutes before departure for the shuttle bus to Dunaskin Station.

🎟️ Tickets & Booking

Tickets are highly popular and must be pre-booked online; no walk-ins are available for this special event.

We welcome group bookings - please contact us for details before 1 August 2026, once the tickets go on public sale then we cannot guarantee spaces.

In order that Santa has the appropriate presents for children, please give their name, age and gender when completing the booking.  If a child does not require a present please book as an adult.

• Adults & Children (3-15): £25.00
• Infants & Toddlers (Under 3): £10 (must travel on an adult's lap).
• There are no carers or group discounts available for these trains.
• ARPG members free travel does not apply to this special event.

All attractions are subject to availability. The Doon Valley Railway is a charity run entirely by passionate volunteers dedicated to preserving Ayrshire's rail history.

Train Carriage 
For the train journey, the carriage has two sections, A and B, which are separated by a corridor.
- Section A has 14 seats and faces up the line.
- Section B has 16 seats and is next to the diesel locomotive.

Infants & Toddlers under 3 are not allocated a seat and will require to travel on the lap of an accompanying adult.

Individual seat numbers within the carriage section will be allocated.
If travelling as a group, and you wish to sit together, you will need to book tickets in the same section.

Food Allergies
In order that our café team are aware in advance, please indicate any food allergies for your booking in the additional information section of the booking form.

Dogs
The train is expected to be very busy, with lots of excited children (and adults!). For everyone’s comfort and safety, dogs—other than registered assistance dogs—cannot travel on the train. If you will be bringing an assistance dog, please let us know in the ‘Additional Information’ section of your booking form.

Accessibility
The shuttle bus is not wheelchair accessible. Arrangements can be made for passengers with wheelchairs, mobility aids etc to drive directly to the station in their own car - please indicate in additional information section of the booking form if this is required.

The saloon coach is not accessible by wheelchair or mobility scooter due to the narrow door width. Wheelchair or mobility scooters can be left in the waiting room at the station.

Section A of the saloon is directly by the entrance door, section B is along a corridor in the saloon. There is a large step between the platform and the carriage floor.

Toilet facilities, including an accessible toilet, are available in the shop near the carpark. Please note: there are no toilet facilities at the station or on the train.

How to Find Us
Doon Valley Railway, Dunaskin, Patna, Ayr KA6 7JH
https://doonvalleyrailway.co.uk/how-to-find-us

The Doon Valley Railway is just off the A713 Ayr to Castle Douglas road, between Patna and Dalmellington, and is signposted as 'The Scottish Industrial Railway Centre'. Access is via the car park, located just after going over the railway bridge.

Google Maps: Link
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There is a regular bus service, Number 52, from Ayr to Bellsbank which is operated by Stagecoach. Timetables and live bus times are available from https://www.stagecoachbus.com/

Refunds & Changes to Bookings
Bookings can be amended, subject to availability of seats on the alternative date and/or time up to 14 days before the travel date. 
Bookings can be cancelled up to 14 days before the booked travel date and refunded.
For cancellations within 14 days before the booked travel date, no refunds will be provided.
To cancel or amend your booking please click the "Manage Bookings" button on the event page.

Additional Conditions of Booking
Your ticket is only valid for the date and departure time you have booked.

Trains will not be held beyond their scheduled departure times and tickets cannot be refunded if you miss your train. All passengers are required to arrive at least 15 minutes before the time stated on their booking confirmation.

If you have any issues during your visit then please bring them to the attention of a member of staff so there is an opportunity to rectify the situation.

Whilst every effort is made to run the services as advertised, the ARPG, operators of the Doon Valley Railway, reserves the right to alter train services, attractions and facilities without notice.

The ARPG reserves the right to refuse access to, or remove from the train and /or site, any persons who are considered to be using inappropriate behaviour affecting the safety of the train and its passengers, spoiling the enjoyment of others or failing to comply with any reasonable requests made by a member of  staff.

Contact
For any enquiries about Santa train bookings please email:  info@doonvalleyrailway.co.uk